Population study on soybeans

What was the effect of planting population on soybean yield in Sanilac County this year?

Closeup of a soybean plant

A population study on soybeans was established in Michigan’s Sanilac County in 2019. Planted populations ranged from 80,000 seeds per acre to 160,000 seeds per acre. See background information on the plot below.

  • Cooperators: Tom and Reggie VanSickle
  • Nearest town: Deckerville, Michigan
  • Previous crop: corn
  • Row spacing: 22 inches
  • Variety: Stine 17GA22
  • Planting date: May 22, 2019
  • Harvest date: Oct. 11, 2019
  • Plot type: strips, 29.3 feet by 2,600 feet, replicated four times.

Effect of population on soybean yield, 2019

Target population (seeds per acre)

Actual population (plants per acre)

Yield (bushels per acre)

Sig*

80,000

88,690

46.0

b

100,000

100,000

48.7

a

130,000

128,571

46.5

ab

160,000

144,047

47.0

ab

LSD (Bu/A)

2.3

 

 

CV (%)

2.2

 

 

*Yields followed by the same letter are not statistically different.

Yields of the 80,000-seeding rate and the 100,000-seeding rate were statistically different. The 130,000 and 160,000 seeding rates were statistically similar to both the 80,000 and 100,000 rates.

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